Inlaws threw away my kettle

[ZenGardener]

I had to go away for work so my inlaws came to stay to watch the kids which was very nice of them BUT I came back and they have bought a new kettle and toaster. I'm not bothered about the toaster but I'm fucking fuming about the kettle. They have taken the old ones away with them.

There was nothing wrong with my kettle, it was old but perfectly fine. They bought a fancy smancy one. I don't need a fancy kettle, I just need something to boil water.

I appreciate I'm tired, pregnant and have a headache but isn't that really rude?

YABabitU. I think they were trying to do something nice for you, but went about it the wrong way.

Oh fuck! I've just been to the bathroom and they have bought a mountain of hideous pastel flowery towels as well.

Did they blow up your kettle & toaster which is why they replaced them? My dad does this every time he visits. Just a thought.

maybe the kettle broke?

I am ungrateful, I know it. I'm still upset though.

No, they just bought us one the same as theirs.

Jaysus! They must be watching too many old films. Hot water and towels for giving birth!

I totally understand why you are pissed off. I'd be fuming too. They were meddling - but, for the sake of a quiet life you have to accept it as 'help'. Smile, nod, be very grateful and never ask them to stay when you are not there again!!!

Stick the towels on eBay ...

New towels

What happened while you were away??

Are the towels the same as theirs too?

sorry but it's kind of funny. Your low-grade kitchen appliances and towels have probably been bugging them for aaaaages.

I might be annoyed in your shoes, but they were probably just trying to be kind. Smile and ignore - life is too short to get wound up by stuff like this.

My lovely BIL came in one day and put a ceiling fan up in my bedroom as a 'surprise'. I was fuming . I nearly broke up over it with my DH (boyfriend at the time). I just couldn't believe someone could go into someone else's house and start a pretty serious DIY project without checking to see if the house owner would agree!

...However, when I came off my high horse, I actually found it quite useful, especially when pregnant with DD1...I would lie under it like a beached whale to keep cool...so every cloud has a silver lining!

Bite back angry words...say thank you and see if you can channel their love into something you could really need. They were only trying to be helpful, although I can fully understand your first reaction.

I have a vague recollection of somebody recently "sterilizing" something pooey in their kettle, or poo falling into the kettle and given a simmer, and then panicking that it was a bit unhygienic.

I bet that it was happened. Poo war involving towels and kettle.

Of course, since you're pregnant you could call them up, thank them (of course) then start sobbing because that kettle had deep emotional meaning to you.

But that would be daft

Surely they were just trying to be nice?

You could tell them you were saving up on limescale because you get a special limescale craving in pregnancy, and now your heard earned supply has vanished! [sob]

You can dye towels, or the baby might poo on them by "accident".

YANBU I wouldn't want people coming in and getting rid of my stuff without telling me. It would be one thing if they'd come in and handed you the stuff as a present but the way they went about it is a bit strange IMO. For all they knew you might have had some emotional attachment to kettle or really liked it.
I don't think of how to tell them though without making things quite awkward, hopefully it's a one off.

They had already left by the time I got home. Dh was here.

You lot have made me smile though.

They also bought boxes of tissues even though I told them we had loads in the cupboard and microfiber cloths for the kitchen and a new dust pan. I think that is everything now.

I hope that is everything!

Interfering! Could you ask them to return your kettle for use as a spare?

My in laws wouldn't ever buy us new stuff but regularly force their old and broken things on us. Most go straight in the bin.
Towels with holes my DD can walk through.
A 34 year old toddler carseat (they refuse to believe its unsafe and illegal!)
DH's school shoes- "because its very important you get ones that are good quality and are professionally measured"- I got nowhere explaining that these shoes are professionally measured for someone else with different sized feet to my DC (and are 30 years old and a bit hard and crusty!)

Just don't allow them to stay in your house unsupervised again.

You'll be grateful for the towels when your DC are sick in the night. Towels covering sheets and pillows are much easier to change when sicked on.

I won't say anything to them but they won't be staying here alone again.

I know they meant well but it's all a bit control freaky!!

I was planning a home birth so perhaps the towels will come in handy.

I can't actually work the new kettle yet so had to make my tea in the microwave.

I wouldn't have minded if they had left the old kettle,

Yanbu, they should have asked before just chucking your stuff away!

Zen,

With the best will in the world - you can't work the kettle yet??! SUrely you just fill it with water, plug it in, and press the button?